Rudolph m



(No Model.)

R. M. HUNTER.

BLBGTBIG RAILWAY. No. 439,070. Patented Oct. 21, 1890.

Tn: noms versus w., momlmo., wmmmnn, n. c.

` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC CAR COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

lSPIECIFIGATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,070, dated October 21, 1890.

Original application filed .Tune 9, 1886, Serial No. 204,583.{Divided and this application filed July 10, 1890. Serial No. 358,277. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia,and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to electric railways; and it consists of certain improvements, which are fully set forth in the lfollowing specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

This application (Case 151) is a division of my application, Serial No. 204,583, iiled J une 9, 1886.

My invention has particular reference to the arrangement of the conductors for supplying electricity to the railway, whether such railway be elevated or upon the surface, and in which the conductors may be separate from the rails, or the rails may be used in part or all as the conductors. I employ supply and Working conductors, the former to convey the current to the latter, which latter supply the current directly to the motor on the vehicle. The working conductors may be arranged for telpherage, an overhead system of railway, or for ordinary surface roads. The workingconductors are divided into sections, and the normal current passing through each successive section is of different polarity. These sections may be coupled up to form two tracks or what I term cross-over and parallel system, and each of these tracks maybe utilized for telpherage, one track being the outgoing and the other the incoming track, or both may be used for the same car or train at the same time. In the case of telpherage the cars or train should be of a length equal to or longer than the length of one of the conductor-sections, so that its ends are resting upon conductors of dierent polarity, whereby the motor or motors on the train may be coupled in series with the said conductorsections and in multiple withV others upon the same railway. The telpherage and overhead system would admit of the use -of long stretched conductors, since the train would be long; but in the case of single vehicles, like streetcars, the sections of working-conductors would have to be approximately equal to or about the length of the car when this system of circuits is to be used. If the car is to utilize two of these conductors, then the current would pass from one section of one conductor through the motor to the corresponding section of the other conductor, similar to multiple-arc connections. In this case the sections might be of any length and the two collecting devices would move in connection with the respective conductors. These Working-conductor sections may be coupled up in numerous ways; but probably the most preferable way is that in which the line-resistance through the motors is the same for all locations of the motors upon the line. By this system we are'enabled to operate the railway without the use of switches between the successive sections, asis necessary in the series railway systems. l

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view illustrating my improved circuits. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a railway, showing the conductors suspended, as is desirable for telpherage. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a road-bed, showing the conductors independentV of the rails and located in a conduit; and Fig. et is a diagram similar to Fig. l with some modifications.

A is the generator.

B B are the sections of the respective Working-conductors, and the sections of each of the working-conductors are coupled alternately with the supply-conductors E E', leading from the generator A, the connection being made by branch conductors b. This construction, as shown in Fig. 1, is suitable for a car or train which is to operate upon one conductor or which is to utilize both conductors. It will be observed that the suc cessive sections of each conductor are of alternating polarity, and the corresponding sections of the opposite conductors are also of opposite polarity. It would therefore be apparent that a car might be operated by its collectors touching two successive sections of one conductor or the corresponding sections of the two conductors. By having the generator connected with the opposite end of the supply-conductors I insure the resistance to the current from the generator through the line, motor, and return, being practically constant for all positions of the car or train upon the railway.

The conductors B may be suspended, asindicated in Fig. 2, and may act as rails for the vehicle D, or said conductors B may be the rails of a surface road or placed in a conduit, as indicated in Fig. 3. It is also evident that they may be suspended or otherwise placed so that a car running upon the surface may make a traveling connection with them by a suitable collector.

In Fig. 4 we have substantiallythe same construction as in Fig. l, but in which the conductor-sections B are coupled for their full length with the supply-conductor.

I do not limit myself to the minor details, as they may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now described myinvention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In `an electric railway, a working-conductor from which a traveling motor receives electricity made in sections, part of which sections supply electricity of one polarity and part electricity of the opposite polarity, in combination with electric supply-conductors,

`and. branch conductors connectingthe supplyconductors with sections of similar polarity.

2. In an electric railway, a working-conductor from which a traveling motor receives electricity made in sections, part of which sections supply electricity of one polarity and part electricity of the opposite polarity, in combination with electric supply-conductors, branch conductors connecting the supply-conductors with sections of similar polarity, and an electric generator having its poles respectively connected with the opposite ends of the said supply-conductors.

8. In an electric railway, two lines of working-conductors made in sections and arranged parallel with each other, part of which sections in each conductor supply electricity of one polarity and the remaining sections electricity of the opposite polarity, in combination with electric supply conductors, and branch'conductors connecting the supply-conductors with sections of similar polarity in tric generator having its poles respectively y connected with opposite ends of the said supply-conductors.

5. In an electric railway, the combination of two `sectional working-conductors for supplying electricity to electrically-propelled vehicles, a source of electrical energy, and connecting-circuits between the source ofelectrical energy and the various sections of working-conductor, whereby the corresponding sections of each of the sectional working-cony ductors are of opposite polarity.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

R. M. HUNTER. Witnesses:

ERNEsT HOWARD HUNTER, MAURICE H. HOLMES. 

